Written days ago – updated as we rounded Cape Conception and our next stop is Santa Barbara, California.

This afternoon my Portland friends came by and gave me as close to a send off party as possible, even though I am not leaving for another, countem (5) five days. Crew arrives day after tomorrow.

Two Jeffs and a Kevin came by today to see the progress made these past two years.

From the time we purchased our Defever trawler to today, August 26, 2014, when i am just rounding Cape Conception, on the way home to an LA port, it took me exactly 17 trips to Portland to get her done!! All but two of the trips I drove.

Seventeen trips over a two year period. The first to come up with me was my wife, whom I can credit with making it a home; my man Friday – Carlos with getting rid of everything from the two previous owners including the old Onan 8 k generator, gone, two air conditioning units that have seen better days, gone, a water maker, also gone, and much, much more.

Then I think I brought the dog up, then the twins, Lisandro and Leandro and a guy named Nestor. I am now older and wiser and if I were asked if i would do it all again, i would reply – a resounding YES! Lots and lots of sweet equity with some Portland weird thrown in for good measure.

How it all fell into place is probably enough to fill a book. Everywhere I look now there is a story within a story. Like for example, the boats new hard top. This hardtop was the result of me flying a guy from Alabama to measure the hardtop.

Fast nine months later, throw in a heart attack to the same guy, a hurricane or two, a broken leg, a broken shipping container that he assembled, shiping companys attempt at colecting another two grand before delivery and you get the point. Almost forget to talk about the first install attempt when it arrives.

My new friend Jeff now has me rigged up with another $160.00 worth of fishing stuff to help catch fish food. Apparently the tackle box that came with the Western Flyer is so dated everything in it is made in the U S A. STILL WE CATCH NOTHING!

I am not what I consider a fisherman; of my delivery crew both Ken and Mark are the true fishermen. I believe you are either born with a fishing gene in you or not. Of my family only my nephew Spencer inherited the fishing gene from his father. Don’t get me wrong I’ve caught some of my fair share of fishing mostly in Florida waters but, with a spear gun. Even while growing up my friends and I believed that it was always better to see what you wanted to catch and catch it than just leave it to chance.

At about the age of 12 my friends and i each rigged up our own Hawaiian sling, a type of spear propelled through the water with surgical tubing as its power source. Efrem or one of the other lakeside residents in one of the many lakes in the south Florida area supplied the surgical tubing he appropriated from a medical professional in the family.

When I arrived in Portland in my luggage was my measly tactical box contents wrapped in zip lock baggies and a reel but no rod. To fly a rod to Portland would result in more than the twice the price of what I paid for it. On board still awaiting to be installed is a fish station and rod holders.

Fishing for salmon sounds even more complicated. Why just look at the written instructions Jeff left me

“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small.

And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks – on your body or on your heart – are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.”